Electrode for batteries



` F. A. KELLER ELECTRODE FOR BATTERIES- Flled March 17 1925 Nov. 23 192e.

Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

` UNITED` STATES `PATENT OF 1,607,759- FlcE. Q

. FREDERICK A. KELLER, CF NEW YORK. N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 BRIGHT STAR BATTERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

ELECTRODE FOR BATTERIES.

' Application filed March 17,;1925. Serial' No.V 16,103.

The present invention relates to` an improved form of cathode or ositive electrode for use in dry or 'semi-dry battery cells particularly.v In its preferred form, the improved electrode is especially useful in cells of the fiat type, and the same has been illustrated and' described herein as s o employed, although it is to be understood that I do not confine'myself to electrodes of the form in question.

Indeed it is one of the advantages of this improvement thatit lends itself to easyand inexpensive molding, cutting and pressing in a greativariety ofsha-pes.

yAnother advantage of this invention 1s its cheapness. The cathodes at present in ,use in dry cells generally, consist of a cylinder or short rod of gas-carbon, Which cannot be had cheaply vin a form suiiicient-ly pure for this purpose. It is, moreover, quite hard and rather brittle and does not lend itself to easy working.

Electrodes made in accordance with the present invention can be made thinner than if graphite or carbon alone be used. They are also flexible and non-breakable, and are therefore more easily handled.4

. The present invention makes it possible to make available the properties of pure graphite, which has a hi her conductlvity than gas carbon and can eprocured from a wider field of supply. The" invention is not, pow'ever, confined to the use of this ma teria In the manufacture of cardboard, pulp.

board and the like it is customary to use a so-called ,iller-usually of some earthy substance. In the practice of the present invention, graphite or other suitable carbonaceous material is substituted as a filler in the manufacture of a pulp board, which latter term I shall employ herein to designate any of the various forms of card or board made from paper pulp or its equivalent.

The carbonaceous material is ground up and thoroughly' mixed with the pulp and water in the process of manufacture' of the pulp board, and the board so `produced may be made in the form of sheets or may be molded in any convenient..f,or1ri.

I have shown a preferred 'mode of use of my improvement as embodied in a flat electrode in the accompanying drawings, where- Lin Figure 1 shows 'one endl of a complete battery with aportion of one side of the caslng broken away, Figure 2 is a sectional View ot' two cells at the positive end of the battery fhowing. the conducting plate there used for facilitating external connection, and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the preferred form of electrode as provided With a gas vent.

In Figure 2, the left hand cell comprises a flat negative plate 10 (usually of zinc) againstwhich lies a bibulous layer 11 impregnated with the excitant or electrolyte. Placed flat against this is a depolarizing layer 12, and against the opposite side of this layer rests the improved positive electrode 13 composed ofa mixture of pulp and carbonaceous material, preferably graphite.

molded in the face of the electrodenext to the depolarizing layer 12.

The positive electrode as described may be treated or coated in the usual manner with paraiine or the like waterproofing material.

In making up a battery, cells of the kind described are placed together within a suitable casing 16, with the negative electrode 10 of one cell in direct contact with the positive electrode 13 of the next cell. The space at the top of the casing above the cells is occupied by a layer 17 of sealing material of any well known character, as usual in this art. v n

At the positive end of the battery the terminal cell (shown as theright hand cell -in Figure 2) is connected/in any suitable The form of lelectrode shown as well as the specific cell described are so shown and suitable shapes. j v 2. Process of manufacturing electrodes conslstmg 1n grinding a. carbonaceous madescribed by Way of example only, and the invention may be embodied in many other forms and structures lWithout departing from of a car onaceous material and ticles of paper pul and then molding, presslng and cutting t e resulting mixture into terial and mixing it in water with paper pulp and 'shaping the mixture' into flat sheets yfor thepurpose described.

3.l Process of manufacturing electrodes pulp and molding the mixture into conven ien't blocks for the purpose described.

4. Process of manufacturing electrodes consisting in grinding `a carbonaceous material vvand mixing itin water with paper .ulpl and molding vthe mixture into convenlent blocks for the' purpose described, at the same time providin suitable vent grooves in the surfaceof the locks.

In testimony whereof I have hereto affixed my signature.

FREDERIQK n. KELLER. 

